Exploring Greek and Roman Mythology: Ancient Stories of Gods and Heroes
Uncover the timeless tales of Greek and Roman mythology, delving into creation stories, powerful goddesses, mighty gods, heroic archetypes, and captivating myths like the story of Pygmalion. Join the journey through rich narratives of love, revenge, transformation, and divine intervention woven into the tapestry of ancient civilizations.
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GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY: ANCIENT YET TIMELESS Susanna Braund September 18, 2018
Greek and Roman mythology: ancient but timeless Week 1: Creation stories and theories of myth Week 2: Goddesses Great Goddess and matriarchal society Demeter Hestia - Hera Athena Artemis Aphrodite Week 3: Gods rise of the Olympian regime: Zeus, Poseidon, Hades; Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus Week 4: Human archetypes, male: different types of hero: Heracles, Perseus, Theseus, Achilles, Odysseus, Jason Week 5: Human archetypes, female: helpful and helpless princesses including Andromeda, Ariadne, Persephone, Medea; resourceful Penelope Week 6: Troy and archaeology, Thebes and Oedipus, Mycenae and Agamemnon; the Underworld topography and symbolism
Myth of Pygmalion Setting: Cyprus Goddess: Venus Offenders: daughters of Propoetus Devotee: Pygmalion, a sculptor Source: Ovid Metamorphoses Book 10 (Latin poet, 1stcentury CE)
Daughters of Propoetus dare to deny that Venus is a goddess. Her revenge: she makes them the first prostitutes; they lose power to blush, then turn into hard flints. Pygmalion (sculptor) offended by their wickedness, lives as bachelor. But he carves beautiful female figure from ivory and falls in love with it kisses it, speaks to it; brings it gifts shells, pebbles, flowers, beads; dresses it with clothing and jewellery; puts it on his bed. On day of Venus s festival, Pygmalion makes offering and asks for a bride like his ivory girl. Goes home to the statue on his couch and kisses it: she feels warm! Kisses her again, caresses her. The ivory has become flesh! He thanks Venus. Girl feels his kisses, blushes, looks up. Venus attends marriage and nine months later a child is born, called Paphos, from whom the city gets its name.
Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) Pygmalion and the Image
Mira Sorvino in Woody Allens Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion 1912/1914 Eliza Doolittle Professor Henry Higgins Film version 1938 Play adapted as musical My Fair Lady 1956 Film version 1964 Audrey Hepburn Rex Harrison
And then Educating Rita, play by Willy Russell 1980, movie 1983 Julie Walters, Michael Caine Pretty Woman 1990, Julia Roberts, Richard Gere She s All That 1999 Miss Congeniality 2000 See Paula James, Ovid's Myth of Pygmalion on Screen: in Pursuit of the Perfect Woman. Continuum studies in classical reception (2011)
